Guile
by ArielEvans
Summary: What happens to Loki after his fall from the Bi-Frost? What was the real reason for the events in New York? When Loki comes upon the most unlikely of allies, can he learn to accept himself and a second chance?
1. Prologue

Hello everyone! Thank you for talking a shot at my story. It is in the infancy of its life and a firstborn. (gah, that was corny; in plain words this is my **first** ever story). This story will mainly be set post Avengers. There will probably won't be romantical Frost-Iron in the future, I'm thinking more of a really deep friendship. This first chapter is really short, but I promise longer updates in the future :) I hope you all enjoy!

**Prologue**

"I could have done it father. I could have done it…for you."

"No Loki."

The power of two simple words. All his hopes and dreams of proving himself to be a worthy son of the All-Father, of being accepted amongst his _family_, dashed to pieces like the ruins of the Bi-Frost drifting into the unknown. He felt his grip on the staff slip. It would be so easy to let go…to drift into nothingness. There he would find no pain, no suffering. Only an end to the masquerade of a life that should never have been his to begin with.

"Loki, No!"

Once again, the same two words, yet with a different meaning. Thor, his _brother_. Thor, the almighty God of Thunder, beloved of Asgard. His own personal eclipse. How could it be that after everything he had done, his brother could still look at him with those piercing blue eyes full of concern? With hope, that maybe there was still a chance for his wayward brother. The gale of emotions in his mind receded to a dull ache as he made his decision. He would no longer look upon faces that would inevitably show disappointment and contempt. No longer would he be emotionally rent by this fallacy of a family.

He let go.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! Sorry its been so long since I last updated. I've been supper busy with college applications and also trying to figure out where to go with this story. I am defiantly open to any suggestions ya'll might have so feel free to review and let me know what you think? I'm hoping the characters don't come off too OOC. In any case, enjoy! Also, check out a story called **_**Suddenly, Darcy **_**by Magwitch. It will do amazing things for your life! Aaaaannnd a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorite this story ")**

**Chapter One**

For Tony Stark, today was a good day. A great day in fact. After months of construction, his beloved tower at the heart of New York was ready for reopening. Though missing the ostentatious STARK letters on the side, he had kept the lone remaining A as a symbol of its newly re-christened name: The Avengers Tower. It had been nearly eight months since the attack on New York and life seemed to finally take on a semblance of normality. With the absence of an impending threat to Earth, the Avengers team had gone their separate ways. Even so, the tower stood as a beacon to the team, and to the world, that the Avengers would come together when they were needed.

Clint and Natasha took a hiatus from work, Steve found a place at S.H.I.E.L.D training new recruits, and Thor returned to Asgard after spending time with Jane. Only Dr. Banner stayed around, mostly in part of his shared passion for science and research. Bruce and Tony bonded over the development of new technologies that aided in the repair of the ravaged city.

With those distractions it was easy for him to forget the toll the battle had taken on him…physically he was sound, but his mind would often take unwelcome trips back up the alien portal and into space where time seemed to stop and he was left paralyzed in his fear. He prided himself in having a strong mind, but what human was expected to shrug off memories of predator look-alikes cleaving people open on the streets, or seeing behemoth monsters ripping through steel and cement structures as though they were butter. Sure he could hide behind his snark and sarcasm, but that day had changed him irrevocably. Every day was a battle to carefully weave the guise of stability, but he did it and he was becoming better and better.

"Sir, Ms. Potts is here to see you."

The genius tore his eyes away from the holographic schematics of his newest pet project, the restoration of his Shelby Cobra 1967. It still bore the wounds of its encounter with the malfunctioning prototype of his first Iron Man suit. The strawberry blonde woman punched in her access code and stepped through the sliding glass doors with reproachful eyes.

"Why am I even surprised anymore? I had the tiniest hope that I might actually find you dressed and ready to go to New York, but…," she gestured to the chaos of car parts strewn around the lab, "Once again something else takes precedence. Tony, I thought this was important to you."

"It is, you know it is. In fact JARVIS pull up the feed from my room about two hours back."

"Of course sir."

A video replaced the Shelby diagrams.

"There, look Pepper, a suitcase. I even packed it myself."

But all she really saw was the inventor himself pacing aimlessly around the room running his hands through his already disheveled hair. Concern replaced the frustration in Peppers voice.

"Tony, are you okay? Are you sure you want the opening to happen today? I know you've been going through a lot this year."

Tony looked up at her. This woman was one of the few, if only, people who knew when he was putting on a brave face. She could see through the cracks in his facade.

"I need this Pepper. It's like a new beginning for me. The last puzzle piece in the jigsaw that my life has been."

She smiled at him, appreciating his moment of unfettered openness. It was rare indeed to see, but was one of the reasons she stuck around. Even though they were no longer dating, they still had a strong bond to one another. Tony grabbed a mostly clean rag off the counter and wiped his off.

"I'll be ready in ten, max. JARVIS have this mess cleaned up will you."

"Yes sir. Enjoy your trip"

The opening went as well as could be expected. Several thousand people crowded the street around the Avengers tower and watched as the building once more lit up the night sky. Soon after the crowd dispersed and so did the guests of honor. Only Steve and Bruce managed to make it however, but Tony was glad. He loved the team, but he needed time by himself in the brand new building.

Pepper had left shortly after midnight after fussing about him, making sure he would be okay for the remainder of the evening. He trudged over to the newly remodeled bar and pulled out an expensive bottle of scotch. After a quick debate about getting a glass, he decided to pop the cap and took a long draught straight from the bottle. Suddenly the air around him became overwhelmingly stagnant. He slammed the bottle down on the counter and made a bee line for the open balcony doorway. Leaning over the railing he sucked in long gasps of the cool night air. He took a few more short breaths before righting himself and sank to ground, his back turned away from the panoramic view of the city. As several thoughts coursed through his head, one lone memory came unbidden to him.

_Loki walks in, holding the scepter. He is the embodiment of elegance and danger. Tony casually walks down the steps, towards the bar. His heart has now taken up residence in his throat, but he keeps a nonchalant expression on his face. Loki's eyes are trained on his every movement. He then stops and quirks up a corner of his mouth._

"_Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity."_

"_Uh...actually, I'm planning to threaten you."_

_The demi-god looks at him with derision written all over his face._

"_You should have left your armor on for that. _

_Yeah, it's seen a bit of mileage. You've got the blue stick of destiny. Would you like a drink?"_

"_Stalling me won't change anything."_

"_No, no, no! Threatening. No drink? You sure? I'm having one."_

"_The Chitauri are coming, nothing will change that. What have I to fear?" _

"_The Avengers."_

_Loki looks at him, confused._

"_It's what we call ourselves, sort of like a team. 'Earth's mightiest heroes' type of thing." _

"_Yes, I've met them."_

"_Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one. But, let's do a head count here. Your brother, the demi-God; a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them." _

"_That was the plan."_

"_Not a great plan. When they come, and they will, they'll come for you."_

_From underneath the bar table, Tony pulls on two small circlets of metal that will activate his newest Iron Man suit._

"_I have an army."_

"_We have a Hulk." _

"_I thought the beast had wandered off."_

"_You're missing the point. There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it._

_He walks around the meager protection of the bar and faces the god. _

_Loki slowly saunters up to him, raising the scepter._

"_How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?"_

_In the close proximity of the gods face, be catches a change in his eyes. Brilliantly blue, they blink as though confused and fix themselves upon the billionaire once more. Except now, they're no longer blue, but frightening shade of green._

"_I'm sorry."_

_It's barely an audible whisper, but Tony can hear the desperation any sadness in those two words. With another blink, Loki's eyes return to their icy blue state. _

Tony shudders as he remembered the rest of the encounter; ending with him flying through the glass window. The same window not five feet from where he sat immobilized. Its clear glassy perfection mocked him. He was extremely lucky that he had thought to put on his honing bracelets, otherwise he would have been a smudge on the pavement nearly six hundred feet below him.

One of the things that haunted him through the past months were those two words. _I'm sorry._ What reason would Loki have had to say such a thing? And what was with his eyes? He had run the scene over and over in his head trying to come up with a conclusion, to no avail. It was been true remorse he had seen in the god's eyes; for he himself had seen the same expression in his own before. But it didn't add up. Resigning himself to another sleepless night, he pushed himself off the ground and began to walk back toward the warmth of his penthouse when something caught his attention. In the far corner of his balcony, a circular projection of light appeared. He had fully turned around to get a better look when suddenly a beacon of green light connected the heavens to the cement floor. Tony shielded his eyes as the light grew unbearably bright. A second later, it was dark again.

Where the light had been moments before, lay an immobile man. His long limbs lay twisted at odd angles and blood seemed to coat every piece of clothing that was still intact. The genius took a few precarious steps towards the body, then bent down to examine the face. Long strands of stick black hair lay across the man's face and Tony gently brushed them aside. He gasped at the face he saw.

"Loki…"


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I hope you're doing well! Sorry its been a while since I last updated. My computer's cooling system broke and I finally got a replacement for it. In the next few weeks I'll probably be reposting an edit of the first chapter. If anyone is interested in being a beta for my story, then please shoot me a PM :) Thank you for all the new reviewers and favorites! I'll be posting responses to reviews at the bottom. It really means a lot when y'all take the time to review and/or favorite :) And as always drop a review if there's any suggestions you may have!**

_Where the light had been moments before, lay an immobile man. His long limbs lay twisted at odd angles and blood seemed to coat every piece of clothing that was still intact. The genius took a few precarious steps towards the body, then bent down to examine the face. Long strands of sticky black hair lay across the man's face and Tony gently brushed them aside. He gasped at the face he saw._

"_Loki…"_

"Holy shit…"

Tony snatched his hand back as the god drew in a shuddering breath. He was floored by the sudden revelation, however he was able to discern one terribly plain thing – Loki had been tortured, brutally. Sure, he had expected the god to receive some sort of penance for his actions when he returned to Asgard. But what he had in mind as far as fair retribution and what lay before his eyes now were two vastly different things. There didn't seem to be a part of Loki's face that was not covered in bruises and lesions, yet there was no mistaking it, that same face that had plagued his dreams for the past eight months. Underneath the beaten surface he could distinguish the sharp angled nose and aristocratic cheekbones, the lips that had whispered those two inexplicable words now slack and devoid of life. Tony's eyes traveled down the rest of the broken body. A ragged gash rent a path along the god's torso and disappeared into his back. It was clear that several of Loki's limbs were broken, and covering his forearms were crude markings carved straight into the flesh.

The billionaire shut his eyes on the nightmarish scene before him. What should he do? What _could_ he do? He couldn't seem to dredge up the anger and hostility he should feel toward the god; he could find no pleasure in seeing the man in such a state. His eyes snapped open as he heard mumbled words slipping from the god's mouth.

"No...no more...please...I'm sorry..."

Tony's heart learched as he heard those familiar words spoken aloud. He leaned closer toward Loki and placed a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Loki...can you hear me? It's okay, it's me, Tony Stark." For good measure he threw in, "You tossed my ass out a window when you were unsuccessfully trying to take over New York."

Once again he tried to cover up his anxiety with humour, but he was failing dreadfully. He gently shook the god's shoulder and spoke his name again. This time Loki's whole body went rigid as his eyes opened with disconcerting clarity. He took the genius' arm in an iron grip and whispered,

"Save me..."

Immediately his body went slack, and it seemed that the god had finally succumb to unconsciousness with a frightening finality. Tony disentangled himself from Loki's grip and stood up, still eyeing the unconscious god. He quickly came to one conclusion - there was no way he could turn his back on the god. While he was conflicted, he was sure that there was more to the story than a spoiled prince with a tyrannical killing streak. With that last thought, he gently shoved his arms underneath the god and strained to pull him to his feet. He half dragged half carried Loki into the warmth of the penthouse and called out to his A.I.

"JARVIS!"

"Sir?" the A.I replied.

"I need you to prep the medical bay...the works." Tony continued the laborious walk down the hallway and into the sterile glass encased room.

"There appears to be a hostile presence inside the premise, one Loki Odinson. Shall I inform S.H.I.E.L.D?"

The genius nearly dropped the unconscious god as he quickly shouted,

"NO! No, uhh don't worry about it buddy. He's not a hostile. Change his clearance level to guest."

He breathed a sigh of relief as the A.I. replied in acquiescence. A medical gurney sat empty in the middle of the room. Tony drug Loki over to it and layed him down on it as gently as he could manage. The billionaire wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on his forehead as he forced himself to once again inspect the ravaged god.

The first order of business was to remove the ruined clothes, which Tony did with great delicacy. Peeling back the tattered remains of the gods tunic, he revealed several more bruises that decorated the torso. He reached for the medical supplies on the table next to the gurney and began to clean up the blood as best he could.

"Hey Jarvis, what do you think? Will stitches and ibuprofen work on a god?"

"My initial scans show that Mr. Odinson appears to be healing himself. At this rate, his wounds should be fully healed within the next few hours."

Tony looked closer at the mostly clean god and saw that the wounds did in fact look a little better. He walked over to the sink and turned the hot water on, letting it run over his hands and wash the remnants of blood away. Grabbing a towel he returned to Loki's side and once more surveyed the unconscious man.

"Keep an eye on him and alert me if there are any significant changes,... I need a drink."

"Of course, sir." the A.I. replied.

The genius made his way back to the living room bar and picked up the abandoned bottle of alcohol.

**Next up...Loki/Tony confrentation...DUN DUN DUN!**

**magwitch: You're so welcome! I'm excited to read the next chapter :)And I agree, more Tony/Loki interaction would have been great!**

**pallyndrome: Thanks! I hope you liked the new chapter!**

**thegirlthathidesinhermind: Indeed...there will definately be more of those in the future :)**

**cara-tanaka: Thank you for the awesome review and input! I hope you like what I did with that scene. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey Guys! I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you to all the new subscribers! It's so exciting that people are still picking up my story! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. And as always, I would love it if you took the time to review/favorite :)**

"Sir."

"Mr. Stark."

The A.I.'s voice jolted Tony from his sleep, seconded by the sound of breaking glass.

"Sir, you advised me to notify you if there were any significant changes to Mr. Odinson's condition. It appears he is slowly returning to consciousness. I approximate that he will be fully aware within ten minutes. Please ensure to take adequate precautions should you inevitably approach him at that time."

The genius had passed out cold on the living room couch after finishing the half empty bottle of alcohol to which he had subsequently knocked off the coffee table. Rubbing some circulation into his face, he tried to reassemble his thoughts. The dusky beginnings of a sunrise glinted off the glass shards littering the floor. He got up and carefully trod to the kitchen in search of fuel. Coffee seemed to be the most attractive option at this time of the morning. The billionaire flicked the chrome plated switch on the machine, and seconds later a thick steady stream of steaming brown liquid filled the awaiting mug. Removing it, he took a tentative sip, careful not to let the beverage burn his mouth. After a few mouthfuls, Tony felt the caffeine begin to seep into his body and ease the grogginess away from his bones. He began to slowly pace across the cold marble floor. What should he expect when Loki realized where he was? Would he be grateful, or would there be a repeat episode of a trip through the looking glass?

With less than half the time left on Loki's countdown, the billionaire dropped the empty mug into the sink and made his way to his bedroom. Walking past the inviting King sized bed, he went straight to the bathroom to wash up. The person that greeted him in the mirror was slightly haggard, but no more worse for wear than usual. He turned on the faucet and splashed the cool water onto his face and worked the remaining vestiges of sleep from his eyes.

"Alright Tony, game face. Reindeer Games _will not_ be defenestrating you today. No siree..."

"Very good sir, I expect with that attitude you shall certainly decrease the volatility of the situation. You should know that Mr. Odinson appears to be causing quite a ruckus in the medical bay."

Okay, so confrontation _with_ the Iron Man suit seemed the safest option now. He had hoped to catch the god as he was waking up and sort of ease him into the situation. A non-hostile approach to the god would surely be the best option, but it would be marginally safer with his suit on.

After suiting up, the billionaire made his way back to the medical bay. Apparently J.A.R.V.I.S. had grievously misunderstood the term "ruckus" or its meaning was now tantamount to "nuclear meltdown". Not many things scared Tony, but the scene that was playing out before him sent little threads of terror up his spine. The thick glass muted some of the words, but Tony could understand all too well.

"YOU'LL NOT HAVE ME AGAIN! I WILL NO LONGER BE A PAWN IN YOUR TREACHEROUS GAME!"

The pristine medical equipment lay charred and smoking. There wasn't much that was not thrown about the room and broken. But most disconcerting was the god that sat huddled in the corner, crackling energy radiating from his form. Though his arms were wrapped protectively around his shaking body, his face was contorted into a mask of pure rage. Tony sucked in a deep breath, punched in the access code to the room, and stepped inside.

"Hey there buddy...why don't you relax a bit. No one here is going to hurt you. Do you know who I am?"

He barely had time to react before a bolt of energy slammed into the glass directly where his head had been a fraction of a second before. The god was on his feet, eyes trained on the man of iron. Though lacking his armor, the god was still a formidable sight. The genius tried a different tact. He let his mask slide up to reveal his face and he took several tentative steps toward the god.

"Hey! You're safe now! Look at my face, don't you recognize me?"

A look of confusion replaced the anger as Loki studied the man's face.

"Anthony Stark."

It was more of a question than a statement.

"Where am I and why am I here?"

"Well you teleported, I think, onto my roof last night and you were pretty badly injured. I mean now...you seem better."

The look of confusion didn't leave Loki's face. Instead he stared at the mortal in pained disbelief.

"No...this must be some new founded way to torture me. I cannot possibly be here. You are nothing more than a mirage."

He walked back to his corner and folded himself back into a ball, rocking back and forth. After a moment, Tony found the courage to walk right up to the god and kneeled down beside him. He gently lay a hand on the quivering back. In Loki, he recognized himself. He was intimately familiar with the panic that was written all over the pale face.

"This is real. No one is torturing you. No one wants to harm you. You're safe here."


	5. Chapter 4

_"You're safe here."_

Loki gasped as he returned to the world of consciousness. Looking around wildly, he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. It was not, as he expected, a dungeon. Instead of the pervasive odor of blood and bodily fluids, there was a crisp cleanliness to the air. Where there should have been walls of torture devices, there were windows, through which dim moonlight bathed the room in a shadowy light. He looked down and was shocked to find himself in a rather large bed, clothed in mortal garments.

Loki ripped the covers off his legs and got out of bed. Too quickly it seemed, for he felt the burning itch of old wounds newly healed. Clutching his side, he made his way to the shrouded window.

"Good evening Mr. Odinson."

The god shrank back and hurriedly searched for the source of the voice.

"Reveal yourself!" Loki shouted, his eyes trained for slightest motion that would reveal the source of the bodiless voice.

"Sir, I can assure you that I mean you no harm. I am an artificial intelligence system rendered by one Anthony Stark, or as you may know him, Iron Man."

"Anthony Stark."

He carefully said the words, testing their value on his tongue. Loki recalled memories of a man encased in red and gold armor, and more specifically his face. The face that had pulled him from the coagulant stupor of hatred and rage. Through the months of brutal treatment at the hands of the Chitauri, he kept replaying that fleeting moment. What was it about the man that provoked him to break free from the mind control and speak his own thoughts? He should have remained on his doomed to fail mission to rule Midgard. Yes, he had continued to fight, but with that small interaction, he found the will to succeed diminished. He was almost glad of the beating he took from the green monstrosity. It was that "cognitive recalibration" that had chased away the final vestiges of dark magic clouding his mind.

"Mr. Odinson," the voice continued, breaking his reverie, "Is there anything that you require? I was directed to notify Mr. Stark the instant you awoke. He will arrive at your door shortly."

Ah yes, he now seemed to recall that the disembodied voice belonged to a form of mechanical servant that Stark had created himself. It held a sort of superiority and that he could almost find calming. He supposed that the ingenuity and intelligence required to build such a sentient being was what intrigued him about the genius to begin with.

"Laufeyson."

"Sir?"

"Mr. Laufeyson. If you must address me, then please do so with the correct surname. I am not the son of the almighty Odin…..that honor is held by Thor."

_Odinson._ Responding to the name was a knee jerk reaction – and it should've been. It was piece of a life he thought he was a part of, until the truth was revealed alongside his monstrous lineage. Now it was time he accepted the rightful title of his dead father and let the world in on his dirty familial secrets.

"Mr. Laufeyson, then. Very good. I-"

But the A.I. was cut short by a sharp rapping on the closed bedroom door. Loki flinched in surprise. He had almost forgotten that Tony was coming to check on him.

Outside the door, the billionaire rocked on his heels waiting for some sort of response from his impromptu patient. Jarvis had informed him earlier that Loki was awake, but seemingly disoriented. Disoriented seemed to be a hell of a lot more agreeable than the "ruckus" from last night, and he silently prayed that his A.I. hadn't misjudged the gods state and that there were no nasty shocks awaiting him on the other side of the door. He had just raised his hand to knock on the door again when it swung open. Tony stood there, stock still with his fist still closed in the air. A low voice pitched itself from somewhere deep inside the room.

"You may enter, Mr. Stark."

Dropping his hand, Tony took a few tentative steps into the room, regretting now more than ever the lack of his iron suit. As his eyes adjusted to the darker space, he spotted the god, hands crossed, observing him from the far corner of the room. His pale skin jumped out from the shadows so that Tony could see that the bruises and lesions had all but disappeared from his face.

"You can call me Stark if you want…drop the Mr. though, that was my dad."

The billionaire waited a moment for a response before shoving his hands into his pockets and taking the remaining steps that brought him a few feet from Loki.

"I…"

Tony trailed off under the quelling stare the god leveled him.

"_Stark_…You seem to be nervous," Loki said slowly, glancing at the billionaire's hands trapped in his pockets. "Let me assure you that I have no intention of harming your person, albeit, not on purpose. I was not…myself in that glass room you see. I did not intend to cause you damage, however, my mind was not all together present. I see I left no lasting damage?"

"Nope, not a scratch."

Tony exhaled a breath of relief he had not realized he was holding. Okay, so Loki wasn't here on death mission to exterminate him. That was always life affirming.

"You look a lot better though, how's the healing coming along?"

He gestured with a general approximation of the gods torso. Loki looked down briefly.

"My healing progress appears to be satisfactory," he said, flexing his forearms and fingers out in front of himself.

"Hey, those rune things are gone," Tony said pointing to the outstretched limbs.

"Very good Stark. They were runes, more specifically suppression runes used to keep my magic at bay." Loki traced the invisible scars over his arms and continued harshly, "The ones who kept me captive would not have been able to do so had they not been carved in."

"Who did this to you, if you don't mind my asking?"

The gods eyes suddenly flashed with accusatory anger.

"Why is that you care? I am _nothing_ to you. An enemy if ever there was one. Why are you not notifying S.H.I.E.L.D. and your precious Avengers to bring me to justice for my crimes? Is this some kind of game…some kind of experiment to see what you can get from me?"

Tony backed away at the rising volume of the gods voice.

"No, no…no games here pal. You were trashed when you landed on my balcony, how could I _not_ help you. And you want to know something else?" he hesitated for a moment, "I saw your eyes that day. They changed, and you said something to me that made no sense. It kept me awake night after night, long after wondering what it could've been that made you say those words…"

The fire in Loki's eyes dimmed as he recalled the day in question. Conquering Midgard should have been easy, really. With the aid of the Tesseract and an uncountable mass alien army, the endeavor should have been assured. Except…was it _his_ endeavor completely? Yes, Midgard needed a suitable ruler to reshape its misguided path. But the manner with which it was carried out…not his style. His was of subtlety and finesse. Messy wars and grand battles were more his brothers style. He remembered the confrontation with Stark. The Man of Iron presented an eloquent speech of team work, pissing someone off, and the subsequent wrath of the Avengers. Even in his clouded state, he found it amusing, not in a malicious sense, that the man had the gall to call him out on his shortcomings and threaten him – all whilst pouring a drink. He knew that this man was intelligent and observant, some of the best features of himself he could recognize in him. So it was with a savage desperation that he clawed his way up to the surface, hoping to relay in some way that this was not all his doing. That he was not all to blame for the massacre unfolding on the streets of his city. To say that he was sorry.

"I remember Tony Stark. I remember the words I said, and you should take them to heart, for they are some of truest I have ever spoken."

Tony nodded.

"I can accept that for now, but I need answers Loki. I need to know that putting my ass out on the line for you is the right thing to do." He turned and walked back to the door. "I don't suppose you Asgardians eat human food do you?"

"It wholly depends in the quality, I think. But I must admit, I require something of a stronger nature to sate my mind, perhaps a drink?"

Tony's eyes crinkled at the corner as he caught the pun from their former encounter.

"Sure, I know just the thing."

**Hey guys! So, it's been so long since I've updated. A wretchedly long time to say the least. In any case, I want to apologize for the lack of updates. But it was with good reason. I had a bit of a crisis with my family – which caused a whole slew of problems, including a move, and several big decisions about my future. But I am happy to say that I am back on track and ready to tackle this story once more. I want to say a special thank you to those of you that have left encouraging comments to continue the story, left great feedback, and subscribed to my story. It means the world to me. I don't know how many of you are still interested in reading the story, but if you are, then I'm glad to have you along :) On another note, this chapter was scary for me to write! It was the first true dialogue we see between Tony and Loki. I didn't want to hash out all the knitty gritty right way, but more so establish sort of setup for the future. Please, please, please review and let me know your thoughts! I'd love to know what you think thus far. Subscribe if you haven't already, and I will see you in the next chapter!**

**All the love,**

**Ariel**

**P.S, I just jumped on the Doctor Who bandwagon….I'm never letting go!**


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